One of Arizona’s premier high school basketball programs has found its next leader. Luke DallaRiva has been named the new Head Coach of the Higley High School boys basketball program - taking over a basketball program that has established itself as one of the state’s elite over the past several seasons.
Della Riva replaces David Grace, who recently accepted the head coaching position at Florida South Western State College, one of the nation’s premier NJCAA Division-I basketball programs. Grace guided Higley during this summer’s Section 7 team camp, before departing for the collegiate ranks after former Higley Head Coach Kenny Drake resigned during the spring.
Drake built Higley into one of Arizona’s top basketball destinations, consistently competing with the state’s best programs. Last season, the Knights finished with a 19-8 overall record and advanced to the Open Division State Quarterfinals, where they were defeated by eventual state power Millennium High School.
Now, the responsibility of continuing that tradition falls to Della Riva.
One of the most respected coaches in Arizona high school basketball, Della Riva most recently served as the Head Coach at Scottsdale Notre Dame Prep, where he led the Saints to an Open Division State Semi-final appearance just two seasons ago. He guided the program from 2020 through 2024, earning a reputation for developing players and building highly competitive teams. His coaching experience extends well beyond the high school level. Della Riva previously served as an assistant coach at the University of South Dakota and was the Director of Basketball Operations at Grand Canyon University under former NBA All-Star Dan Majerle. His work in the profession earned national recognition in 2016, when he was selected to the NABC’s prestigious “30 Under 30” list, recognizing the nation’s top young basketball coaches.
While Higley has landed one of the state’s most accomplished coaches, Della Riva inherits a challenging situation. Since the conclusion of last season, each of the program’s top prospects has elected to transfer to another school, leaving the new coaching staff with the difficult task of rebuilding the roster while re-establishing the program’s culture. Fortunately for the Knights, few coaches are better equipped for that challenge than Della Riva.
Known throughout Arizona basketball circles as one of the game’s outstanding teachers and program builders, Della Riva has consistently demonstrated the ability to develop talent, establish strong team culture, and build winning programs. Although rebuilding Higley back into championship contention will take time, the Knights appear to have found the right leader to guide the next chapter of one of Arizona’s premier basketball programs.
